Beyond the rituals of umrah, two Malaysians discover moments of acceptance, gratitude, reflection and renewed faith
FOR some, the journey to the Holy Land is a long-awaited dream. For others, it is a second chance to deepen their faith, confront personal loss or simply discover what it means to return home spiritually renewed.
For Siti Aisyah Jasmine Abdullah, setting foot in Mecca 12 years after embracing Islam was more than the fulfilment of a long-held dream. It was an emotional reminder that she had been given another chance to strengthen her faith.
The mother of two said she was overwhelmed by mixed emotions when she was informed that she had been selected for the Umrah 1,000 Asnaf programme, organised by ikhlas.com, after initially being told she was not eligible during her first interview.
“But about five months later, I received a call saying that my name had been selected.
“I was asked whether I could go, whether I had any commitments and about my husband and children. Alhamdulillah, when I realised I could accept the opportunity, I felt so happy, touched and grateful. It felt like I had been given the chance I had been hoping for,” she told theSun.
The programme also eased much of the preparation for the pilgrimage, including arrangements for her passport, luggage and vaccination.
For Siti Aisyah, the support extended beyond the practical arrangements. The encouragement from the organisers and travel team gave her peace of mind throughout the journey, that carried deep personal significance.
Her journey to Islam, she said, had been shaped by the people around her, particularly her ustazah, as well as her participation in religious classes and courses organised by the religious authorities.
“Islam is beautiful. InsyaAllah, I want to learn more and become better in practising Islam,” she said.
Her husband, too, had been an important part of her journey. He accompanied her to Mecca at his own expense, honouring a promise that if she was ever given the opportunity to perform umrah, they would make the journey together.
Siti Aisyah said the pilgrimage was especially meaningful as she regarded it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and wanted to ensure that her first umrah was performed properly.
There were also worries about leaving her children and elderly family members behind.
But the encouragement from her husband, ustazah and those around her helped her overcome the challenges and embrace the journey with an open heart.
“I hope that if Allah grants me the opportunity again, I can bring my children here one day so we can experience this journey together as a family.
“And to my fellow converts who are given the chance to perform umrah, I sincerely hope you will accept it. Do not let the opportunity pass, because not everyone gets to receive such an invitation,” she said.
For 23-year-old engineering student Farid Azhar, the pilgrimage offered a different kind of personal journey – his first experience of travelling alone for umrah.
Farid had previously performed umrah with his family about 10 years ago. This time, with a university semester break ahead of him, he decided to make the journey after finding an affordable package that suited his budget.
“I did not initially plan to perform umrah alone, but since I was on my semester break, I saw it as a good opportunity to go.
“The package was also reasonably priced and included meals and other arrangements, so I felt it was worthwhile.”
Farid said he had been saving gradually since last year before finally deciding to make the trip.
Travelling under a tour operator also gave him the confidence to experience umrah independently for the first time.
Among the most memorable moments of the nine-day journey was the opportunity to spend almost three hours in Raudhah at Masjid Nabawi, a privilege he said he deeply appreciated.
“I actually checked the timings on TikTok to see when I could enter Raudhah. I noticed there was a slot towards the end of the Zuhur prayers, at about 3.40pm to 3.50pm.
“When we entered, the azan for Asar started, and no one else was allowed to enter, so we were able to remain inside.
“After the prayers, I moved closer towards the front and entered the Raudhah area,” he said.
The spiritual experience, however, came with physical demands.
Temperatures reached nearly 40°C daily, while the tightly packed schedule left little time for rest.
“The schedule was very packed because we only had nine days. We performed umrah for three consecutive days, so there was not much time to rest.
“We just had to stay strong and keep going,” he said.
Yet returning to Mecca and Madinah after a decade carried an emotional weight far beyond the physical challenges.
This time, his mother was no longer there.
“If I went with my family this time, it would not feel complete without my mother. I did not plan for things to turn out this way, but I accepted it and decided to make the journey on my own,” he said.
The loss gave the familiar holy places a different meaning, turning what might have been a return to a place remembered from childhood into a deeply personal journey of acceptance.
Now that the pilgrimage is over, Farid hopes to carry its spiritual momentum into his everyday life and become a better Muslim.
For young people considering performing umrah alone, he has some of advice – research the requirements of the trip before venturing out independently.
“Learn the steps first. Once you understand how everything works, perhaps next time you can do it yourself,” he said.
